Capt. Eric Coleman said the Fajitas Supermarket in Palm Springs is the focus of the investigation.

"On multiple occasions, we would send in an undercover agent and ask for $200 cash," Coleman said. "They would charge the benefit card $300 and hand the undercover agent $200 in cash," implying the extra $100 would go into the clerk's pocket.

They believe the store owner and dozens of customers defrauded the governement of $2.8 million.

So far, deputies have arrested more than 20 people and could be looking to arrest as many as 40 more.

"We aren't going to bark a lot, but we're going to bite and we're going to bite hard," Bradshaw said. "I'm going to bite them in the butt as far as I can take everything that we got from them to teach them a lesson that this is not going to be tolerated."

Deputies have not arrested the store owner.

Investigators said they are waiting for more federal warrants to be issued.

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DOZENS OF PEOPLE ARE ACCUSED OF TAKING PART IN A SCAM THAT COST NEARLY 3-MILLION OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS.TED WHITE... áLIVE IN PALM SPRINGS... WHERE INVESTIGATORS SAY THE SUSPECTS CASHED IN. .AND TED, THE SHERIFF HAD SOME TOUGH WORDS FOR THEM? 3 HE DID. IN SO MANY WORDS. SHERIFF RIC BRADSHAW SAID IT'S A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THEY CATCH UP WITH THEM. HE SAYS CUSTOMERS LINED UP AT THAT STORE TO GET SOME QUICK CASH. NOW DOZENS OF THEM ARE IN JAIL FACING CHARGES OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FRAUD. 3 THE FAJITAS SUPERMARKET IN PALM SPRINGS IS CLOSED. CUSTOMERS FOUND OUT THE HARD WAY. NO HOT FOOD, NO PRODUCE, NO MEATS. FOOD STAMPS ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTED HERE. Larry Johnson/Neighbor "It's good for us they got him. it's a fraud. It's just like stealing."FOR TWO YEARS.. DETECTIVES FROM THE PALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAY THEY'VE BEEN BUILDING A CASE AGAINST THE STORE OWNER AND MORE THAN A HUNDRED PEOPLE WHO SHOP HERE. A CASE WHERE CUSTOMERS USED THEIR FOOD STAMP/EBT CARDS TO GET CASH. Capt. Eric Coleman/PB Co. Sheriff's Office"They would ask for a certain amount of cash. If you asked for a hundred dollars it would cost you a hundred fifty. If you asked for two hundred. It's cost you three hundred. A 50 percent markup."THE ELECTRONIC CARDS ARE RELOADED EVERY FOUR WEEKS. Capt. Eric Coleman/PB Co. Sheriff's Office "Every month we would see a certain percentage of these folks, when those benefits hit they would go that they to clean them out." ON MONDAY.. DEPUTIES ARRESTED MORE THAN 20 CUSTOMERS.THEY'RE LOOKING TO ARREST 41 OTHERS. CRIMINALS SHERIFF'S RIC BRADSHAW SAY WERE TAKING FOOD AND BENEFITS FROM PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST. Ric Bradshaw/PB Co. Sheriff"Well here's a news flash for you. We aren't going to bark a lot but we're going to bite and we're going to bite hard. I'm going to bite them in the butt as far as I can take everything that we got from them to teach them a lesson that this is not going to be tolerated." INVESTIGATORS SAY THE STORE WAS PULLING IN AS MUCH AS 230-THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH. "But it all comes out of the taxpayers pocket. Yours, mine and everybody else's."BRADSHAW SAYS FOR EVERY ONE OF THESE STORES THERE ARE DOZENS OF OTHER STORE OWNERS DOING THE SAME THING. HE'S SENDS A WARNING TO PEOPLE LOOKING FOR AN AN EASY PAYDAY.Ric Bradshaw/PB Co. Sheriff"Guess what we don't take food stamps in the jail. That's where you're gonna be." ú 3 INVESTIGATORS SAY THE STORE OWNER AND CUSTOMERS STOLE 2.8 MILLIONS DOLLARS FROM THE GOVERNMENT. THEY SAY THAT'S A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE. THE STORE OWNER HAS NOT BEEN ARRESTED. DEPUTIES THEY'RE WAITING TO BUILD THEIR FEDERAL CASE BEFORE THEY MAKE A MOVE. LIVE IN PALM SPRINGS TED WHITE WPBF 25 NEWS.